Sometimes referred to as trade credit insurance or A/R insurance, accounts receivable insurance can help protect a company’s cash flow despite natural disasters, geopolitical events, an economic downturn, seasonal business cycles, client ownership changes, and other issues that may create uncertainty. In this article, we’ll take a quick look at how a receivable insurance policy works to reduce non-payment risks, what to look for in a good provider, and alternative forms of credit management to consider if insurance doesn’t align with your business needs.
What is Accounts Receivable Insurance?
When a business agrees to invoice after goods or services are delivered, it’s technically offering credit to the receiving entity. Also known as trade credit and generally with no interest, these loans or receivables account for 35-40 percent of a typical company’s assets, per MarshMcLennan data. This typically makes receivables the most important asset for businesses.
The risk of non-payment in most cases falls to the company with outstanding invoices. Should their largest customers or multiple clients default or file bankruptcy, the company owed is often simply out the money. The cycle then perpetuates, as the company holding the unpaid invoices can easily become insolvent too.
Accounts receivable insurance serves as a safeguard, protecting a company’s earnings when things go awry.
How Does Accounts Receivable Insurance Work?
A credit insurance policy can offer robust protection beyond coverage in the event of non-payment. For example, the policy buyer may be entitled to recoup losses from interest charged if a loan is obtained to help cope with uncollected invoices or reimbursement of unusual and excessive collections costs associated with non-paying customers. In addition, if accounts receivable records have been lost or damaged, oftentimes, a policy covers costs associated with getting records back, such as hiring an IT professional.
Frequently, the insurance company will also check into prospects before their client extends trade credit. They’ll monitor the companies being extended trade credit and notify their client if signs of financial distress are detected. That way, the access to trade credit is reduced or eliminated long before the owing company begins filing bankruptcy.
There are four main types of accounts receivable insurance.
Whole Turnover
A whole turnover policy addresses commercial debt from all your customers. It may apply to both international and domestic sales or just one type.
Key Accounts
A key accounts policy is generally ideal if the bulk of your trade credit has been extended to just a few large customers. It covers just the clients you choose.
Single Buyer
If most of your trade credit has been extended to a single client, you can choose a single buyer policy to cover just one account.
Transactional
If you only have one customer or don’t conduct many sales, a transactional policy will let you cover individual transactions as needed.
Top Three Benefits of Accounts Receivable Insurance
There are many benefits to obtaining accounts receivable insurance, but they typically fall into three core areas.
1. Get Better Financing
With additional assurances that your receivables are likely to be paid, you become a less risky borrower when you apply for loans and lines of credit too. Moreover, you may be able to reduce your bad debt reserves and free up additional working capital for your business. These things can help you lock in favorable rates and often qualify for more funding than you otherwise would have.
2. Expand Sales
Having data on current and prospective clients makes it easier to accept more work or extend more competitive credit terms to clients to win additional business and grow. If you’ve been holding off on accepting sales from clients you thought were too risky, a good policy and insurance company can allow you to secure deals with them too.
3. Gain a Competitive Edge
Bad debt reserves are not tax-deductible, but trade credit insurance premiums are, so a policy can help keep more money in your pocket. You’re also in a much better position if your leading asset isn’t at risk.
Calculating the Cost of Receivables Insurance
Your rates will be tied to the types of accounts you’re insuring, sales volume, whether you’re insuring domestic or international clients, and the types of events your policy covers. If you’re seeking international coverage, expect to pay premium rates up to around one percent of sales. If domestic, you’ll generally pay one-half percent or less.
Finding the Right Accounts Receivable Insurance Provider
Many major insurance companies and banks offer A/R insurance. If you’re already established with one and satisfied with their services thus far, you may want to check into their receivable’s insurance too. If not, consider partnering with a company that specializes in insuring businesses within your industry, as they’ll be in a better position to evaluate the risks involved and will typically offer the best coverage at a fair rate.
Explore Invoice Factoring as an Alternative
If accounts receivable insurance feels like overkill and/or you need to accelerate your cash flow, invoice factoring may be a better fit for your business needs. With factoring, you sell your invoices to a third-party company known as a factor. The factor pays you right away and then waits on payment from your customer. Because your customer is ultimately the one paying invoice, your factoring company will typically run credit checks on them and keep you in the loop about their overall creditworthiness, so your overall risk is reduced.
Get a Complimentary Charter Capital Rate Quote
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, with principals who have been providing specialized financial solutions across a wide variety of industries since the 1980s, Charter Capital offers a wealth of benefits, including free credit reports, same-day funding, the most flexible terms in the industry, free collections services, and more. If you’d like to learn more about factoring or are ready to get started, request a complimentary rate quote from Charter Capital.
- Growing Together: How Referral Partnerships Can Help Your Business Expand and Thrive - May 15, 2023
- Top Online Business Tools to Equip Your Team for Success - April 3, 2023
- 10 Best Cybersecurity Strategies for Small Businesses - March 6, 2023
